Prison Closure and Potential Reopening
A federal women's correctional institution in northern California that ceased operations in 2024 following extensive sexual abuse allegations might be converted into an immigration detention center under the current administration's policies.
Numerous women reported being sexually assaulted by staff members at FCI Dublin, a facility that gained notoriety for such violence that it earned the nickname "the rape club." Ten prison employees, including the warden and chaplain, faced charges related to sexually abusing inmates, with most having been convicted or entering guilty pleas.
Targeting of Immigrant Women
Many of these women were specifically targeted for sexual assault due to their immigration status. A federal investigation uncovered that prison guards "explicitly targeted immigrant women for abuse, leveraging the threat of deportation," according to legal documents filed by over 100 former inmates. The U.S. government subsequently agreed to a $116 million settlement in this case.
Guards reportedly examined women's files to identify undocumented individuals, offering assistance with citizenship in exchange for sexual favors or threatening to contact immigration authorities if abuse was reported.
Transfer and Reuse Plans
The Bureau of Prisons is transferring control of FCI Dublin to the General Services Administration, effectively relinquishing responsibility for the facility and its 87-acre property. This move could allow the administration to reassign the location to another agency such as the Department of Homeland Security.
"It's the first concrete move we've seen in a while where BOP is potentially making the first step toward transferring the property into the hands of DHS," stated Susan Beaty, an immigration attorney who has represented numerous FCI Dublin victims.
While a BOP spokesperson previously indicated that FCI Dublin remained under Department of Justice jurisdiction with no reopening plans, the current administration could proceed with alternative uses for the facility as part of its immigration enforcement priorities.
Structural and Community Concerns
The site presents multiple challenges for reuse, including hazardous conditions such as asbestos, black mold, and water contamination. The former director of BOP testified under oath that the facility was structurally unsafe and required "tens of millions" in repairs to become habitable.
Immigration advocates, survivors, and local residents have expressed strong opposition to reopening the prison. Over 8,300 people signed a petition against converting the closed facility into a detention center, and the Dublin City Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing its reopening or repurposing.
"Our community would be a better and safer place if this facility were simply demolished," said Representative Mark DeSaulnier, a leading advocate for FCI Dublin survivors.
Survivor Experiences and Legal Outcomes
Beatriz, a survivor of sexual abuse at FCI Dublin who has since been deported, described the anxiety and panic attacks she continues to experience. "Imagine, if I get sent back to Dublin but now for immigration?" she asked. "After everything that I went through at that place... it's terrifying."
Many women who reported abuse, cooperated with investigators, and testified against their abusers faced detention and deportation upon release from prison. Two survivors who assisted federal officials in building a case against former guard Darrell Wayne Smith were later detained and deported, while two others who testified against him currently face deportation proceedings.
Despite their cooperation, most immigrant survivors were not offered U visas, which are designed to protect crime victims from deportation when they assist law enforcement.
"FCI Dublin is a toxic and decaying facility, and a symbol of sexual violence against incarcerated and immigrant women," Beaty concluded. "Reopening the notorious Dublin prison to incarcerate immigrants would be an affront to these survivors, and would only perpetuate abuse."
